Reviews with content warning for Abortion - The Rachel Incident

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Reviews tagging 'Abortion'

The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue

270 reviews

loonaglow's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

i am a sucker for a book that showcases the chaoticness of girlhood in a woman’s early 20’s

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ktjazzy's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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savyelizabeth's review

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challenging emotional reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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ranti's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. I started listening to the audiobook, then ended up reading as a hybrid read.

The Rachel Incident follows Rachel and her best friend James over the year or so that they spent living together in Cork, Ireland. During this time together, their lives become intertwined with Rachel’s lecturer Dr Byrne and his wife Deenie.

This book was such a page turner. It’s all about fumbling your way through your 20s but it felt different to the typical book of this genre? Maybe because it was set in the 2010s (post recession), a time that I remember well but experienced as a teenager, making it less contemporary but still relatable.

It was written with tenderness - especially her friendship with James - and the author expertly weaves with important issues, namely abortion rights in Ireland, into the plot.

I also love the hindsight style of writing. The story starts in 2022 when Rachel receives some shocking news, then 90% of the book is told from the perspective of 2010s Rachel with commentary from a wiser, more grounded 2022 Rachel.

This was very different from my usual reads but it was a excellent audiobook and possibly my gateway to exploring more Irish literature.

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